Flooring-clamp



(No Model.) 0. O. WOODRUIEF.

\ Flooring Clamp.

No. 240,490. Patented April 19,1881.

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N,PE TERS. PMOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASVMINGTDN, D Q

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

ORVILLE O. WOODRUFF, OF KILLINGWOBTH, CONNECTICUT.

FLOORING-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,490, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed February 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ORVILLE O. WOODRUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Killingworth, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lever Press or Clamp for Securing Side Boards to Buildings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is aside elevation of my invention, showing it in use for holdingtogcther matched boards to the sides of a house, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in that class of devices employed for clamping and holding together tongue-and-grooved boards while being nailed to the side of a house.

The invention has for its object to provide the clamping portion of the device wi 11 means and so constructing it whereby the tongue of the board is prevented from being slivered or otherwise injured by any slight lateral pressure of the clamp, and to prevent as far as possible the clamp Ee-ing pressed sidewise against the tongue of the board; also, in simplifying the construction of the several parts of the device, whereby its effectiveness is increased. These objects I attain by the construction shownin the accompanyingdrawings and hereinafter described.

I11 the drawings, A represents the clamp, having pivoted to its lower end a lever, B, and to its upper end a pawl, C, which engages with the teeth it upon the upper side of the lever.

A dog, D, is located upon the under side of the lever B, and is formed with arms, by which it is pivoted to the sides of the lever, said dog D having detachably connected to it a claw, b, to rest on the sill orgirt of the building, as the case may be.

The clamp A, at its front face, is formed with a vertical groove, 0, running lengthwise to receive the tongue of the board, and upon each side of the groove are pins d, which are pressed into the board upon both sides of the tongue. After a board has been matched with its groove over the tongue of the board preceding it, the clamp A is placed in position,

as illustrated in Fig. 1, with the groove 0 fitting over the tongue in the board, and the claw b of the dog D down upon the sill or girl: of the building. A downward pressure is now exerted upon the lever B, bringing it in the position as shown in Fig. 1, which will press the pins 61 into the board upon each side of the tongue, and at the same time press the board into position, and thus insure a perfect joint, no matter how badly the board has been sprung or warped. When the board is thus brought into position to make aclose and perfect joint, the pawl C, engaging with the ratchet-teeth a, retains the lever B in the position brought, and the clamp A firmly pressed against the board.

The groove 0 in the clamp A is of great importance, as is also the pins d upon each side thereof, the groove into which the tongue of the board fits retaining the clamp in a vertical line with the board, and causing the pressure to come equallyon both sides of the tongue, this materially facilitating the operation of forming a perfect and tightly-fitting joint, in which position it is held until secured by nailing. Now, should there be a lateral or sidewise pressure upon the clamp A in operating the lever B, the result would be to sliver or otherwise injure the tongue of the board or to slip off the tongue. I have provided for this by the use of the pins 01, which take the pressure off the sides of the tongue and render the clamp more effective in its purpose Without danger of injury to the board.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The clamp A, in combination with thelever B and pawl C, pivoted thereto, said lever having ratchet-teeth a, and pivoted dog D, with claw b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the pivoted lever B, pawl C, and dog D, of the clamp A, having groove 0 and pins d upon each side thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that l'claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ORVILLE O. WOODRUFF.

Witnesses:

HARRIETT P. PHELPs, CLARISSA F. STEVENS. 

